Use of Honey in Cough Treatment

Honey May Effectively Treat Cough in Childhood Upper Respiratory Tract

A recent article published in the Archives of Pediatrics Adolescent Medicine reported that honey may be a viable option for treating cough associated with upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) in children.  The study which included one hundred children 2-18 years of age with upper respiratory tract infections compared a single dose of buckwheat honey, honey flavored dextromethorphan (DM) or no treatment.  The single dose was administered 30 minutes prior to bedtime.  Cough frequency, severity, bothersome nature of cough and child and parent sleep quality were the main outcome measures.

Results: Significant differences in symptom improvement were detected between treatment groups, with honey consistently scoring the best and no treatment scoring the worst. In paired comparisons, honey was significantly superior to no treatment for cough frequency and the combined score, but DM was not better than no treatment for any outcome. Comparison of honey with DM revealed no significant differences.

Conclusions: In a comparison of honey, DM, and no treatment, parents rated honey most favorably for symptomatic relief of their child’s nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty due to upper respiratory tract infection. Honey may be a preferable treatment for the cough and sleep difficulty associated with childhood upper respiratory tract infection.

Cough Remedies (Tried, Tested & True)

The following recipes for cough medicine will help you through the winter cold and flu season.  These remedies are quick and easy to make and highly effective.

Dr. Zeff’s Cough Medicine:

1 Tbl honey
1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
1-2 drops peppermint extract
1/2 – 1 tsp horseradish

Mix into a cup of hot water. Take teaspoonful or tablespoonful doses as needed. You can mix honey and vinegar if that is all you have. Add the peppermint and horseradish for a more effective remedy.

Dr. Mona’s Cough Medicine:

Sauté 1-2 onions in a little oil, then cover onions with honey; let simmer for a while, until the onions are mostly all broken up/dissolved and it’s one thick fluid mixture. Take 1 tsp or 1 tbs of mixture alone or mixed with vinegar as needed for cough.